Moments
by Winchesterforlife
Summary: AU; Mark wasn't in the plane crash, but the love of his life was. Now, he has to raise their child alone. Mark/Lexie.


**AU. Mark wasn't in the plane when it crashed; now he has to raise his and Lexie's child alone. **

It was amazing what could change in a moment.

It took a moment to conceive a life. One completely blissful, passionate, wonderful moment between Mark and the love of his life had resulted in the creation of a life.

Lexie had been thrilled when she had realized that she was pregnant. The timing had been terrible-she was just a resident, just beginning to make a career for herself-but she had been thrilled. Mark remembered the look on her face when she had told him; those bright eyes, that huge smile, loose tendrils of hair curling around her face. They hadn't planned this pregnancy, but Mark was excited.

It took a moment for their son to enter the world.

It was snowing that night; Lexie's water broke around midnight. Mark had driven her to Seattle Grace, held her hand as the contractions rolled through, stood by her side as she began to crown.

"Come on, Grey, you've got this!" he'd shouted as she began to push. "The sooner you shove him out, the sooner we meet our son!"

Ronan Derek Sloan had entered the world at 2:47 in the morning; he had Mark's piercing blue eyes, a healthy set of lungs, and the finest brunette hair that Mark had ever seen.

It had taken a moment for Mark to fall in love with him.

That night, he and Lexie had laid side by side in the hospital bed; Mark had never been so happy. Sofia had a little brother, a built-in best friend, and Mark was happier than he had ever been in his life.

In this moment, it was hard to believe that that had been only two months ago.

*****GREY'S ANATOMY*****

"They were just heading to Boise. How could something like this happen in Boise?" Callie whimpered. "Nothing happens in Boise."

They were sitting in the attendings' lounge, waiting for someone to bring them to their loved ones. The plane that was carrying them to Boise had crashed; there was one fatality, but no one had given them a name. They'd received very little information, actually.

"I don't know," Owen replied, running a hand over his face. "I don't understand how this happened."

One death. One of Mark's close friends was dead-or, God forbid, the love of his life. But it wasn't Lexie. It couldn't be Lexie.

"What the fuck is it with Seattle Grace?" Mark asked. "We've been bombed, shot up, and now a plane crash? The minute Lexie and Arizonare okay, we've got to get the hell out of here."

"_If_ Arizona and Lexie are okay," Callie replied. "Who died? It can't be Arizona. It just can't."

The three doctors sat in silence. There were no good outcomes here. One of their friends, one of their people was dead-and four others were seriously wounded. They were all going home heartbroken.

Bailey and Webber had headed off with an attending, presumably to find out what was going on with the Seattle Grace five. They'd been gone for about an hour, maybe a little more. Mark wanted to call for them, but he wasn't sure that he wanted to hear what they had to say.

Callie dozed off on Mark's shoulder at around one in the morning. He looked down at his slumbering best friend. She looked so peaceful, so calm when she slept-she was truly beautiful. _Thank God Sofia looks like Callie, _he thought. He hoped Arizona wasn't the doctor lying in a body bag, the one that would be flying home to their funeral.

The door opened; Callie sat up straight, suddenly wide awake. There stood the Chief, a somber expression on his face.

"I've got news," he announced; Mark had always thought that his voice was calming, and this occasion was no exception. The Chief always knew what he was doing. If the Chief was there, everything was okay. "Cristina's awake. She's in shock, she's been lashing out, and she's in restraints, but she's okay."

Owen's face, which had been filled with tension and stress, suddenly broke into a grin. His wife was alive; that was all that mattered. Mark managed a smile for his friend-he'd be getting his good news soon enough.

"Arizona's unconscious. She has a complex fracture of the femur, a concussion, some contusions-the leg might need to be amputated," the chief turned to Callie. "But she's alive."

Callie hadn't cried yet; she'd had to be strong for herself, strong for her friends. But this was too much; her wife was alive, her world was changing-and the tears were coming.

"Cal, it's okay," Mark comforted her. "Arizona's tough, she's going to be alright."

"I-I know," she stammered. "I just can't believe this is happening. A week ago, we were planning vacations, and now we're talking about amputations."

"One leg beats dead," Mark offered up; Callie chuckled. "It's all going to be okay."

"Meredith's okay. Hypothermia, malnutrition, some internal bleeding, but she's awake and okay. Derek's hand was crushed in the accident, and we won't know the extent of the damage until we can take a closer look."

_This can't be happening._ The chief had mentioned everyone. Everyone except Lexie. There was one fatality. Everyone else was alive.

"Mark….I'm so sorry."


End file.
